Hilarious arrest photos of woman found guilty of setting swarm of angry BEES on sheriffs to try and stop eviction from mansion

By JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:11, 18 April 2026 | Updated: 00:25, 18 April 2026 A Massachusetts woman who donned a beekeeper suit and unleashed a swarm of agitated bees on sheriff’s deputies during an eviction has been found guilty, capping a bizarre confrontation captured in striking arrest photos. Rebecca Rorie Woods, 59, was convicted of multiple assault charges and sentenced to six months in jail following the chaotic 2022 confrontation at a Longmeadow mansion, where deputies were serving a lawful court order. Prosecutors said she deliberately used beehives to attack law enforcement officers attempting to carry out the eviction. 'This was unlike anything our team has ever experienced,' Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said in a statement following the verdict. 'Our deputies were carrying out a lawful court order and were met with a deliberate act that put lives in danger. We are grateful the jury recognized the seriousness of what occurred and the risk it posed to our staff and the community.' Images from the scene saw deputies restraining Woods while she remains protected inside a mesh-covered bee suit, as well as the moments leading up to the chaos. Authorities could be seen struggling to secure the hive boxes she had brought to the property. The photographs underscore just how extraordinary the incident was. Rebecca Rorie Woods wore a beekeeper suit as she struggled with police officers  Woods attempted to open the hive lids before smashing one open. Authorities said the bees became 'extremely aggressive' after release and stung several deputies In one image, Woods can be seen standing between deputies, her hands restrained behind her back, still wearing the protective beekeeper hood that shielded her from the swarm she had just released. In another, officials grapple with a strapped wooden hive box, attempting to contain the bees before they could spread further. Authorities described how the situation escalated rapidly and turned a routine eviction into a medical emergency. According to the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, the incident unfolded shortly after 9:15am on October 12, 2022, as deputies executed the final phase of an eviction order at a large home on Memory Lane in Longmeadow. Woods arrived in a blue Nissan Xterra towing a trailer loaded with multicolored beehives. She left her dog inside the vehicle and immediately approached the hives, attempting to remove their lids. A deputy tried to intervene, but bees had already begun to escape. Authorities said Woods then smashed open one of the hives and flipped it off the trailer, causing the insects to become 'extremely aggressive' and swarm the area. Rebecca Rorie Woods was convicted of multiple assault charges tied to the 2022 eviction incident Deputies were executing a court-ordered eviction at the time, but Woods had other ideas Deputies and bystanders were stung as the bees spread. Several of the officers on scene were known to be allergic, and one sheriff's employee was taken to the hospital. Thousands of bees were killed in the incident. Prosecutors highlighted one remark in particular as evidence of intent. When told that deputies were allergic to bee stings, Woods responded: 'Oh, you're allergic? Good,' according to authorities. Even after the initial swarm, officials say Woods escalated further. Wearing her beekeeper suit, she carried what was described as a stack or 'tower' of hives toward the front door of the home, attempting to intensify the disruption and halt the eviction before deputies ultimately arrested her at the scene. The property at the center of the eviction was a roughly 9,500-square-foot home with seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, valued at more than $1.5 million, according to public listings. Authorities said Woods had no direct connection to the home, but had become involved as an anti-eviction activist. Her involvement came against the backdrop of her own history. Years earlier, she had been evicted from a property in Hadley following a prolonged legal dispute. At the time, Woods told MassLive she was living in a tent on a friend's land and dealing with serious health issues, including cancer. 'The eviction process has clearly been weaponized by the courts to thwart my appeal, which has every chance of success due to case law precedent,' she said. Officers could be seen grappling with a strapped wooden hive box as they attempted to contain the bees before they could spread further. Woods ripped over the box, freeing the swarm Woods arrived at the property towing beehives on a trailer before deliberately trying to knock them over. Thousands of bees were killed in the incident The case stretched on for years after the initial arrest. In August 2025, Woods failed to appear for her trial in Springfield District Court.  Authorities later located her about 800 miles away in Kingsport, Tennessee where she was arrested at a motel. She remained in custody there for more than three months after refusing to waive extradition back to Massachusetts. Once returned, she faced trial on charges stemming from the 2022 incident. Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni described her actions as a clear and deliberate threat to public safety. 'This was an intentional and dangerous act that put law enforcement and members of the public at risk,' he said. 'Court orders exist to be followed, and the defendant's attempts to disrupt them were unlawful and absurd.' Despite her plan, officers managed to place Woods in handcuffs and arrest her  The property involved is valued at over $1.5 million. Woods had no direct connection to the home being evicted but had previously been evicted from her own home in Hadley He added that he commended Assistant District Attorney Blake McConnell and the deputies involved. Sheriff Cocchi said the case stood out even among the many evictions his department handles each year. 'We don't just show up to enforce an order - we try to help people through difficult situations,' he said. 'That commitment doesn't change, even in the face of something like this.' Officials said they routinely prepare for resistance during evictions but say nothing could have prepared them for what they faced that morning. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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